Vehicle safety has been constantly increased in the last few decades through continuous further development of passive safety elements. In addition to passive systems which reduce the consequences following an accident, active safety systems are becoming increasingly important for preventing accidents and mitigating the consequences of accidents. In order to reduce the consequences of an accident involving a collision or, ideally, to prevent a collision entirely, some manufacturers are offering so-called assistance systems with adaptive cruise control and distance warnings, as well as systems with brake assist and/or emergency brake assist. Such assistance systems use radar sensors, cameras and/or lasers to detect preceding vehicles and warn the driver in the event of an imminent collision. These driver assistance systems are therefore generally based on sensor technology which monitors the surroundings. If the driver does not react to this warning and a collision is unavoidable, the system automatically applies the brakes. The impact speed is reduced or the accident can even be completely prevented. In addition, in the field of active safety systems, safety systems which automatically steer the vehicle around an obstacle if a collision is detected, i.e. systems which perform an autonomous avoiding maneuver, are also known.
In one aspect, the invention generally relates to a test arrangement for test driving, where a target object can be towed behind a towing vehicle, in particular to test the above-mentioned safety and assistance systems. In this case, an accident involving a collision between a test vehicle and the target object can, in particular, be simulated. Another aspect of the invention relates more particularly to a device for connecting the target object to the towing vehicle. Any target object (target) can be used, preferably a light and relatively soft dummy vehicle (for example a so-called balloon car on guide rollers or wheels), which is connected to the towing vehicle by the connecting device and towed behind the latter.
There is currently a known system from ADAC (Aligemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club e. V.) [General German Automobile Association]. In this case, a sledge moves on a ladder frame made of steel, which the towing vehicle tows behind it. The target object is located on the sledge. However, the sledge considerably increases the mass with which the test vehicle collides, particularly since the structure is rigid, and the sledge weighs many times the weight of the actual test object. This increases the risk of damage to the test vehicle. The rigid rail also prevents a safe avoiding maneuver by the test vehicle after the collision, because after the sledge is moved, the rail is located under the test vehicle. This constitutes a high risk for the test drivers, at the same time preventing it from being used for testing (emergency) avoidance systems.
A balloon towing system for towing a motor vehicle is known from DE 71 23 421 U1, where the balloon towing system can be easily transported in the vehicle in its deflated state due to its small size, but can be made ready for operation by inflating the towing balloon, and the elastic covering can also act as a buffer for collisions between the towing vehicle and the vehicle to be towed within certain limits. However, the distance between the towing vehicle and the vehicle to be towed is very small and is substantially constant, except for small changes during impacts, but cannot under any circumstances offer a sufficient safety margin for the towed vehicle, in particular during a collision of another vehicle with the vehicle to be towed.